


Deck the Halls

by goingtothetardis



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Christmas Decorating, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Sweaters, F/M, Fluff, Meddling TARDIS, Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 20:11:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9012451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goingtothetardis/pseuds/goingtothetardis
Summary: Rose wants to decorate the TARDIS. The Doctor reluctantly obliges.





	

**Author's Note:**

> After writing my DWSS for this year, I decided I wanted to write a super fluffy Christmas fic full of nothing but happy moments with the Doctor and Rose. I worked on it a bit before and during our trip, and I just finished it today. 
> 
> This is for all my followers, readers, and friends who have left me wonderful comments on my fic this year and who have supported me in numerous ways!! You're all awesome!!
> 
> Merry Christmas!!
> 
> (A huge thanks to Caedmon for the beta.)

“We celebrated Christmas after I regenerated,” the Doctor argues. “Why do we need to do it again?”

Rose crosses her arms and glares at the Doctor. “It’s been about a year since then. Mum says so. I think you ‘forgot’ to mention it.”

The Doctor gasps in faux offense. “I did no such thing. And, if you must know, it’s been three hundred eighty four days since my regeneration and your last Christmas.”

“We didn’t decorate the TARDIS last year,” Rose continues, ignoring him. “An’ ’s not like we _planned_ to go back at that time, with you regeneratin’ and all, so I didn’t get to enjoy any of my favorite Christmas traditions until Christmas was almost over.” Rose changes the tone of her voice to one he can never say no to. “Come on, Doctor, please? It’s my favorite time of the year. I’ll do everything, I promise.” 

The Doctor sighs in defeat when Rose rests her chin on his shoulder and stares at him with her wide, brown eyes. It’s not like he was actually going to say no, but Rose giving him _that_ look in close proximity sends any of his remaining defenses crumbling to the ground. It’s not the first time she’s used it on him to get what she wants… and he knows it won’t be the last. And besides, he may or may not have just been putting on a show of resistance. He finds he rather likes the idea of properly experiencing human Christmas traditions with Rose. 

“Oh, all right. Fine. Yes. We can decorate for Christmas.”

Rose squeals in delight and jumps up to hug him. He laughs, stumbling back slightly into the console, and his own arms instinctively wrap around her body to hold her in place. A few moments pass before Rose slowly uncurls her arms from behind his neck and steps back. 

“Um…” She chews on her bottom lip and gazes up at him, a slight blush tinging her cheeks. 

The Doctor meets her gaze but reaches back to scratch the back of his neck. Perhaps he’d let that hug go on for a little longer than necessary. “Um…” he prompts, after Rose fails to continue. 

Rose’s cheeks turn a slightly darker shade of red, but after a moment, she shakes her head and takes a deep breath. “So, Doctor. Do you have any decorations? Or do we need to go shopping?”

He spots the excited gleam in Rose’s eyes at the mention of shopping, and he makes a face. “No, no. No shopping necessary. The TARDIS has a room I think you’ll very much enjoy.” 

Rose smiles. “Oh? Care to share with the rest of the class?”

“Indeedio.” He grimaces. “Eugh, no.”

“Allons-y?” 

“Right! Allons-y!” He grabs her hand and leads her out of the console room, down the corridor until the fork. Then he takes the right turn and then third corridor on the left until the staircase, up the stairs, and then the fifth door on the right. He stops outside the door and looks up at the ceiling. The TARDIS hums in confirmation, and he puts his hand on the door knob. “Are you ready, Rose?”

Shifting excitedly on her toes, Rose answers, “Doctor, just open the door, already.”

The Doctor makes a show of opening the door at a snail’s pace, and Rose tilts her head back and groans. “ _Doctor…_ ”

“Oh, all right. Quit yer fussin,’” And with his words, he swings the door wide open with a flourish. 

Rose peeks inside and gasps in delight. The room – if one wants to call it that – is enormous and filled with any and all varieties of Christmas decorations: from garlands to Christmas trees to ornaments to the little villages that often sit behind shop windows to wooden mantle pieces, and much, much more. Everything is an explosion of red, green, gold, and silver, speckled with a rainbow of other colors not often immediately associated with Christmas. 

Rose steps inside the room and gazes around in wonder. The Doctor beams at her, loving how Rose marvels at the infinite mysteries his ship has to offer without even stepping outside. And as if on cue, the soft melodies of familiar Christmas music suddenly surround them. 

“Doctor, it’s…” She trails off, unable to express herself. “It’s wonderful. I don’t even know where to start. I feel like we’ve got our own Room of Requirement, because what we need most right now is decorations.”

He stands in the doorway as she walks in a loop around the area closest to them, trailing her fingers over all the decorations. He sends a silent thank you to the TARDIS and she hums warmly in reply. 

“The TARDIS did this?” Rose asks. 

“Yep! Just for you, Rose Tyler,” he begins. “Well, after traveling together as long as she and I have, I’ve accumulated more than a few decorations and trinkets from around the universe. While not all planets celebrate your Christmas, many celebrate some version of a winter solstice similar to what you know. The TARDIS just collected them all in this room for you.”

Rose leans against a coral strut and kisses it lightly. “Thanks, love.” The TARDIS glows in response. 

“Doctor, I know where I want to start,” Rose says with a twinkle in her eyes. “We can’t decorate wearing what we’re wearing. It’s not very festive.”

The Doctor frowns. “I’m not sure I’m following.”

Rose points to his suit and gestures at her clothing, jeans and a bright pink hoodie. “Christmas jumpers, Doctor. And maybe some antlers. Or a Santa hat. It’s _tradition_.” She emphasizes the last word. 

“ _Ah._ ” He makes a face and glowers at the smirk on Rose’s face, because she knows how attached he is to his suit. “Rose, is it really–”

“It’s one hundred percent necessary, Doctor. Mum and me found a new Christmas jumper every year, and since Mum’s not here to decorate with us, you get to wear one. Plus, with all this, I’m _sure_ the TARDIS has a whole section of the wardrobe devoted to Christmas jumpers.” The TARDIS hums affirmatively. 

The Doctor knows he’s lost the battle and exhales a long suffering sigh. “Do I at least get to pick mine?”

She pretends to consider this for a moment. “Nope! Cos you’ll just find a pinstripe jumper and call it a Christmas jumper. I think you’ll need supervision with this decision,” Rose says cheerfully before grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the Christmas room. He splutters indignantly but follows as she pulls him to the wardrobe, which the TARDIS has conveniently moved across the hall. 

“How did you know–?” 

Rose cuts him off again. “She moved the wardrobe room and showed me the door across the hall. I think the TARDIS rather likes the idea of decorating for Christmas, Doctor.” She smiles smugly at the him, and he huffs at how the women in his life gang up on him without any shred of remorse. The TARDIS laughs in his mind. 

He opens the door, and when Rose finds several racks of Christmas jumpers in the center of the room, she whoops loudly and begins rifling through them with unrestrained glee. The Doctor wanders over to the racks and inspects the collection of ugly jumpers. “Rose,” he whines, “I absolutely cannot allow myself to wear one of these. I mean, look at this–” He holds up a bright red jumper covered in large snowflakes bedecked in puffy, white poms and a bell in the center of each flake. The collar is covered with tiny trees covered in tiny flashing lights. The Doctor wrinkles his nose and makes a face of disgust. 

Rose only giggles. “You know, Doctor, I _could_ ask you to wear an elf costume.”

“Absolutely not, Rose Tyler. Don’t you dare. This is quite painful enough.”

Biting her lip, Rose takes the jumper he still holds in his hand and holds it up against him. She smiles innocently. “I think this one will do nicely, Doctor. Go on, show me how it looks.” 

The Doctor sighs and unbuttons his jacket, shrugging it off his shoulders and placing it carefully on the chair next to the rack. He moves to pull the jumper on, but Rose stops him. “Tie.”

“What?”

“Tie. Take off your tie. I found a better one.” Rose holds out a knitted green tie with reindeer and candy canes appliqués sewn onto the surface. He groans loudly but doesn’t even bother protesting, knowing there’s no point. After replacing his dark blue tie with the garish Christmas one, he pulls the jumper over his head. 

Rose finds her jumper soon after – a red and green one with a chunky, embroidered collar that’s decorated with cats, bells, tinsel, and strings of fairy lights – before moving to a rack of Christmas themed headbands. 

“Rose, please no. You can’t possibly expect me to wear one of those. Think of my hair!” he whines.

“How about this one, Doctor?” Rose picks an atrocious antler-shaped headband off the rack. The antlers are brown, but the seams are sewn together with red yarn, giving the headpiece a rather crafty look. 

“My hair…” he whispers. 

“Oh, come off it, Doctor. I’ll make sure your hair is perfectly coiffed. Come ‘ere.” Rose stands on her toes and places the headband on his head, carefully arranging his locks around the headband. “There,” she declares, satisfied with her handiwork. Rose finds a headband adorned with a small Christmas tree bedecked with twinkling fairy lights and arranges it on her head. She runs to the side of the room and rummages in a jewelry stand. The Doctor watches, bemused, as she replaces her hoop earrings with gaudy, red glittered bauble earrings. Satisfied, Rose returns to the Doctor and laces her fingers with his, pulling him gently to the mirror. 

The Doctor blinks at the image of themselves in the mirror. They’re equal parts cringe-worthy and festive, but when Rose looks up at him, smiling, he can’t help but smile in return. All this is worth it just to see her smile. “Very… festive.”

“It’s perfect,” Rose replies. “Now, time to decorate.”

**& &&&&**

Several hours later the Doctor collapses, exhausted, on the sofa in the library.

“Not so ‘impressive’ now, are you, old man?” Rose asks with a laugh. 

“Old man?!” he protests. “Rose, we’ve decorated the galley, the console room, the media room, your room, _my_ room, and now we have a Forracian spruce tree standing in the library! I never knew a single human woman could make me so exhausted.” 

Rose smirks at him, her eyes dancing with mirth, before what he says catches up with him. “I mean,” he pulls on his ear lobe, “that is to say… decorating the TARDIS is hard work when Rose Tyler and the TARDIS work together.” 

Laughing at his slip but letting him off the hook, Rose continues. “‘S alrigh’, Doctor. I’m ready for a break too. Time for hot chocolate and Christmas biscuits.” 

“Brilliant. I was beginning to think you didn’t believe in that part of the Christmas tradition,” the Doctor says.

They find what they’re looking for in the now festive galley, and after carrying trays laden with treats to the library, they settle in front of the fireplace for a well-earned break. The fire dances merrily in front of them, and they lounge contentedly against a pile of pillows on the white, fluffy rug before the fireplace and sample the Christmas biscuits they found in a cupboard. 

“You know, Doctor,” Rose starts. “Christmas on the TARDIS is really the most wonderful thing. Especially with this X’ocolato hot chocolate and those biscuits we got from Frendelli.” She hums happily into her mug.

“Even without your Mum?”

“Well, sure I miss Mum and all the traditions we have, but it’s… you’re… you’re all I really want for Christmas. Here, in the TARDIS, _with_ the TARDIS.” Rose confesses the words while peeking at him over her mug, cheeks flushed with both the heat of the fire and the carefully guarded emotions behind her words. “Everyone leaves home at some time or another, Doctor, and there’s nowhere I’d rather be than here.”

The Doctor’s hearts beat loudly in his chest as he understands the depth of the meaning behind Rose’s words. That she’d rather be by his side than anywhere else in the universe… well. The same’s true for him as well, but it’d be unlike him to actually follow through with acknowledging such thoughts. So instead, he changes the subject. “I’m glad you talked me into Christmas, Rose. The TARDIS is really rather chuffed about her new design. I don’t think the console room has ever been so… shiny… before.”

He pauses, watching Rose sip at her hot chocolate over through the steam floating off his mug, and makes a snap decision. Leaning over, he places a soft kiss on Rose’s cheek and threads her fingers through his. “And Rose? I’m glad you’re here with me, too.”

Rose smiles widely at him, and he wants nothing more than to chase the tip of her tongue that peeks out from between her teeth. He closes his eyes, trying to will away the temptation to throw his barriers out the doors to the TARDIS and snog Rose breathless.

“So, Rose, what’s next?” the Doctor asks, diverting the moment to a safer territory. 

Rose gazes at him thoughtfully for a moment, and he holds his breath, terrified he’s been found out. Of course, it’s _Rose_ , so she probably knows how he feels better than he knows himself. 

“You know what’s next. I saved the best for last. Time to decorate the tree!” Rose jumps up and runs to the large boxes next to the tree that weren’t there twenty minutes ago. It seems the TARDIS has something specific in mind for decorating this room. 

The Doctor jumps when the soft, tickling strands of garland wrap unexpectedly around his neck from behind. He jumps up and spins to find Rose laughing at him, holding the ends of the silver garland in her hands. 

“I dunno, Doctor. You look rather fetching with a bit of tinsel thrown about.” Rose takes the ends of the garland and loops it over his reindeer antlers, and he groans. 

“Is this really necessary, Rose? I mean, you already decorated me with this jumper.” He knows he’s whining, but he also knows he doesn’t really mind the extra attention from Rose. “If that’s the case, then I think…” The Doctor trails off as he turns to a nearby box and pulls out a long, silky golden garland from inside the box. “…you need a little extra sprucing up yourself.”

He takes a step closer to Rose, a bit closer than necessary, and carefully drapes the garland around her neck. Her breath hitches, and she bites her lip as her eyes lock onto his face. There’s a soft noise above them, and the Doctor looks up, his jaw dropping when he finds a bunch of mistletoe hanging from one of the beams of coral that wind across the ceiling.

Rose coughs back a giggle, and he turns to her, surprise written all over his face. “I think the TARDIS is trying to tell us something, Doctor.”

“Oh? And what’s that?” He’s playing dumb and knows Rose sees straight through it.

She smirks. “Well, there’s another Christmas tradition we humans have, but I’ve never really had the chance to experience it,” she says. 

The Doctor swallows. “Maybe you should tell me about it.”

The light of the fire dances in Rose’s eyes as she answers, reminding him of when she’d walked out of the TARDIS as a goddess of the Vortex and Time. “Maybe I’ll just show you.”

Rose gently tugs the loose ends of the Doctor’s garland from his antlers and uses it to pull him closer. He follows willingly, eagerly, finally ready to drop his crumbling barriers and embrace what could be with Rose. The moment her lips touch his, he groans loudly, and his entire body responds. 

As he wraps his arms around her, tangling themselves in her garland, she giggles breathily through their kiss but follows suit. Her hands find his back and run up his back until her fingers twist in his hair. They stand together for several moments, wrapped up in each other and the sensations of their kiss, until Rose pulls back for air. 

The Doctor tugs her closer, if that’s possible, and tucks his head down to her ear. “I know what mistletoe is,” he confesses, smiling cheekily when Rose pulls back to smack him lightly across the chest. 

“Git.”

“But your git?” he asks, inwardly cringing at the obvious hope that almost drowns out his words. 

Rose smiles, a brilliant sort of thing, and answers with confidence. “Always.”

This time he pulls her in for a lingering kiss, and they’re both breathless, headbands askew from wandering hands, when they pull back. “So I think the TARDIS is really into Christmas, yeah?”

The Doctor rolls his eyes and fights off a grin as he looks up at the mistletoe. The TARDIS gives her answer when the lights flicker merrily around the room. “Time to decorate the tree, then?” he asks. “Or…?”

Rose places her hands on his chest and pulls his ugly tie out from under his (also ugly) jumper. “Well, you know, Doctor?”

“Hmm?”

“I was thinking… Why don’t we put off the tree until tomorrow?” She bites her lip and looks up at him through hooded eyes. “I have this tradition of unwrapping one of my presents before Christmas. I don’t think Mum ever knew, but I always found at least one and opened it early.”

“Rose Tyler!” The Doctor tuts loudly.

“I always rewrapped it. Don’t get your knickers in a twist,” she says, smirking at him. “But that’s not the point.” She gives him a look, one that makes him realize he’s not getting the punchline of a joke. 

“Can I unwrap you, Doctor?” Rose smiles lasciviously. “I’ll wrap you up in a new jumper tomorrow so we can finish the tree.”

Now he gets it. Oh. _Oh._ Heat floods his body, and he reaches for Rose. “I think that can be arranged. But I’m not sure rewrapping your present is really necessary in this situation.”

“No?”

“Nah. I promise I won’t tell anyone.” He pauses. “ _Especially_ your mother.”


End file.
